Two Paths in a Yellow Wood
by Trisana Tennant
Summary: Human AU; from the universe of "My Literature Class". Alfred F. Jones and his five best friends grow up in a small town in Southern Maryland.
1. A Hero is Born

_Two roads diverged in a yellow wood_ – Robert Frost (The Road Not Taken)

* * *

The bus was nearing the U.S./Canadian border. A passenger went running through it to the driver. "A passenger has gone into labor."

The driver swore and kept driving. There wasn't going to be a hospital for a while. Cries of the poor woman echoed everywhere. A doctor knelt beside her.

"What's your name?"

"Madeline Williams. I'm supposed to be on my way to my boyfriend's place and they were supposed come there." The woman was Canadian.

"Well, Miss Williams, I'm here until we get you to a hospital."

"Thank you."

"I'm Andrea Frost."

"Dr. Frost." Madeline gave a sharp cry.

Andrea tried to help her. Madeline, under Andrea's careful eye, gave birth to a son with violet eyes and blond hair. "Matthew Williams," Madeline breathed. "I was supposed to be named Matthew, but they were surprised when I was born female."

"We are now crossing the U.S./Canadian border," the driver announced.

Once they were in the United States, Madeline gave birth to a second son. "Alfred Fitzgerald Jones. My boyfriend's last name was Jones and John F. Kennedy is his favorite president and his favorite poet is Alfred, Lord Tennyson."

"Really?" Andrea asked. "My husband is Alfred Frost and his favorite is also Tennyson." Both women laughed.

* * *

**This is the beginning of my mentioned prequel/sequel to my story _My Literature Class_. This will be about the life of the six until death separates them. **


	2. Meeting Arthur

_And sorry I could not travel both - _Robert Frost (The Road Not Taken)

* * *

Alfred and Matthew were now five years old. They lived in Sherwood Forest, Maryland. It was a happy day for them when their parents finally had enough to buy them the toys they always wanted. They received the toys. The police chief brought them. Matthew was given a stuffed polar bear which he named Kumajirou. Alfred had an alien toy he named Tony.

"Where's mom and dad?" Alfred asked.

"I'm sorry, kids, but they aren't coming back," they were told gently.

The next morning, they were in an orphanage. A year passed by, with the kids around them coming and going.

"Mattie," Alfred asked, throwing his six year old self on a bed.

"Alfie?"

"Do you think anybody will ever want us?"

"Someday."

"I hope we aren't separated."

"So do I."

A day later, the boys were dressed nicely because a couple was there, wanting an older child. The woman glanced around as the person beside her, the owner, nervously rattled off names and personality traits.

"That one," she pointed at Matthew.

"He has a twin brother."

"I don't care. I think they'll be fine not together."

"No!" Alfred screamed.

"I beg you, please reconsider. These boys need to stay together."

"I'll be back for Matthew and only Matthew in the morning." The couple walked away.

That night, Alfred shook Matthew awake. They gathered Tony and Kumajirou and snuck out the door of the orphanage. They wandered the streets until they came to a park. A boy their age was sitting there on their favorite bench. Alfred ran up and sat beside him.

"This is my bench, git!" The boy cried in a British accent.

"No, it's not! Your name isn't on it!"

The boy pointed at something written on the bench. _Arthur Kirkland_.

"That's your name?"

"Yes."

"Artie, I'm Alfie and this is Mattie."

Matthew sat on the bench also.

"What kind of names are those?" Arthur asked.

"My name is actually Matthew and his is Alfred."

"Are you a runaway, too?"

Arthur shook his head. "My parents left me here."

"Ours died." Alfred said. "Maybe the three of us should stay together. I'll be the hero and you two can be my sidekicks!"

That idea was quickly rejected. However Arthur was delighted with the prospect of company.

* * *

**Enter Arthur. **


	3. Adoption

_And be one traveler, long as I stood_ – Robert Frost (The Road Not Taken)

* * *

Dr. Andrea Frost was passing through a park when she heard a little boy cough. She stopped and listened. "Sounds like he might have pneumonia."

"Mattie, please don't die," a voice cried. Now she had to help. She ran over to the source. Three boys were near a bench. They flinched when they saw her.

"It's okay, I'm a doctor."

She finally convinced the boys to trust her. "What are your names?"

"I'm Arthur Kirkland, eight years old. This one is Alfred Jones, he's seven and that's his twin brother Matthew Williams."

"Alfred, is your middle name Fitzgerald by any chance?"

Alfred nodded.

"So you're the boys I helped delivery that day. Your mother, Madeline, was such a sweet woman. Is she here?"

"No, she died two years ago." Alfred cried.

"I'm sorry. Now, I need to take Matthew home with me so I can help him get better. May I?"

Alfred nodded.

"You two can come with me."

The four, Andrea carrying Matthew, made their way to her house. Her husband, Alfred Frost, was confused at first. After about a week of the boys being there, they had a discussion.

"I think we should take them in," Alfred said.

"I agree. Alfie and Mattie are orphans but as Arthur is here illegally, it will be harder for us to get custody of him."

"Let's write to the British government and begin the battle then."

In her research, she discovered that the Kirklands had been on vacation in Washington D.C. when Mr. Kirkland had gotten involved in a liquor store robbery. They had fled back to London and left Arthur behind. So she called London and found out that the parents were dead. The mafia had been involved somehow. She finally received his birth certificate in the mail and started helping him through the process of becoming an American citizen. He balked so they worked with both governments so he could have what Matthew had, a dual citizenship.

Finally, after several months of work, they sat the children down.

"Kids, we wish to adopt you. All three of you. However we want to make one thing clear. You all can keep your real last names."

Before too long, it happened and they had a home.

* * *

**Yeah for OCs showing back up! Now the three are brothers, it's official. Wait. What happens next?**


	4. Here they come!

_And looked down one as far as I could_ – Robert Frost (The Road Not Taken)

* * *

It was the twins tenth birthday. Andrea danced in with the cake and set it down. "Alfred!" She called out.

Alfred Jones and Alfred Frost glanced at her. She laughed. "I finally got someone to rent the house across the street! It's a family of five from Europe."

"I hope they're British," Arthur mused.

"We'll find out when they get here in two weeks."

Kumajirou fell into the cake, setting everybody off into laughter.

Part of his fur was still stained blue when the moving van pulled up two weeks later. Andrea hurried over to help their new neighbours move in. When she returned she looked sad. Arthur and Matthew followed her into the kitchen. Alfred stayed in the living room and stared out the window, his ten year old mind curious. "They're the Braginski-Arlovskaya family. The mother is Ukrainian and the father is Russian."

Alfred mentally groaned at her words. From birth his parents had taught him to be afraid of Russians. The door opened and three children came outside.

"Their eldest child is Yekaterina. She is called Katyusha; she is 11 and was born in the Ukraine."

As on cue, one broke away from the rest and ran into the yard, looking around. The others followed.

"The youngest is Natalya. She's 8 and was born in Belarus."

A small girl trailed behind the other two.

"The middle child is Ivan. He will be ten in December and was born in Russia."

Alfred's eyes focused on Ivan, who as if he felt his gaze, turned to glance in his direction. They stayed like that for a while until the youngest grabbed his arm. Andrea came out of the kitchen with the pecan pie she had made for dessert tonight.

"I know I made this for you, but they need it more than us. Who wants to go with me?"

Arthur and Matthew wanted to. Alfred went back to staring out the window.

"Matthew, can you carry the pie for me?"

There was an eager nod. Alfred watched Matthew and Katyusha bond fast. Arthur was trying to talk to Natalya and Ivan… was staring at him again.

* * *

**Enter Katyusha, Ivan and Natalya.**

**Get ready for cute Matthew/Katyusha friendship fluff thing and awkward Ivan/Alfred meeting. **


	5. Meeting Ivan

_To where it bent in the undergrowth_ – Robert Frost (The Road Not Taken)

* * *

It was now December. Alfred had gotten away with avoiding most of his new neighbors but Katyusha, who was over all the time since she was Matthew's best friend. Katyusha was talking to Andrea.

"Mother wants to know if she can have a small birthday party for Vanya here since…"

"It's fine! I'm sure we wouldn't mind at all!"

The party was a week later. It was just Ivan and his family plus Alfred and his. Alfred found himself seated next to Ivan. He glanced at his plate, trying not to blush.

"Hello," Ivan said softly.

Alfred bit his lip.

"You are Alfred, correct?"

He nodded. They both sat in silence while Katyusha fed Kumajirou ice cream.

* * *

It was a summer day just after his 11th birthday. Alfred wandered outside past where he found Matthew, Kumajirou and Katyusha napping under a tree. He was so confused he ran to the tree house in the other tree in the front yard. Ivan was in there. He glanced down when Alfred ran up.

"Hello?"

Alfred glanced up into the pale face above him. He jumped into the tree and began to climb. He slid in the window. Ivan looked shocked.

"You're Ivan?"

"Da."

"What does that mean?"

"Da?"

"Yes."

"It means yes."

They stood in silence, just cautiously watching the other. Alfred tried not to be sucked into the other's violet eyes.

"Vanya!" Katyusha called.

Ivan climbed down the ladder.

_Do I have any right to him just because of his nationality? _Alfred thought. _I should get to know him first._

* * *

**Alfred's having second thoughts about avoiding him! Sad chapter next and then time jump.**


	6. Tragedy strikes deep in the Heartland

_Then took the other, as just as fair – _Robert Frost (The Road Not Taken)

* * *

Ivan was sitting on the porch. His mother was cleaning house and had kicked him out. Katyusha and Matthew were beside him. Arthur and Natalya were on the tire swings in his yard. Alfred was in his yard across the street, playing with the water hose. Suddenly he took off running for Matthew, giving his brother a muddy hug. Ivan stared at the mud in Alfred's hair. His hands twitched. _Could I just reach up and get that mud out? Can I forbid it from ever staining his hair again?_

Alfred laughed, disturbing his train of thoughts. Matthew ran for the water hose but Alfred beat him there. The two squirted each other and laughed. They ran by with mud in their hands. There was a laugh from behind Katyusha and Ivan, their father. "Matthew, Alfred, smile!" Matthew grinned but Alfred looked away from the camera.

* * *

Another school year had passed and now the twins were 13. Ivan had missed most of seventh grade, due to the death of both his parents. Their mother had died earlier in the year of lung cancer. Broken hearted, his father had lost control of his car while coming home from work and drove off the road into the river below. During the joint funeral, Katyusha cried on Matthew's shoulder, Natalya stood with Arthur and Alfred held Ivan's hand. When a child protection agency came to get the three, Andrea put her foot down, saying that the house they lived in was hers and therefore the three were under her care. Every meal eaten was together for them, knitting the two families closer.

Ivan had finally come out of hiding, thanks to Alfred, and was now watching the boy play basketball with Gilbert Beilschmidt from down the street.

"Two more points and my awesome self wins!" Gilbert called.

"Ha!" Alfred made a jump shot.

"Kolkolkol," Ivan muttered.

Alfred had heard him. He stopped midstep and turned. "You okay?" Unknown to them, Alfred's basket had made the goal shaky. So when Gilbert made the next shot, it fell, on Alfred. The pole hit him square in the head, knocking him out and to the ground.

"WEST!" Gilbert screamed.

His brother Ludwig came running. Ivan was already trying to get the goal off Alfred. "Call for an ambulance, Gilbert! NOW!" He went to help Ivan. The two got it off of him just as the ambulance arrived. Ivan went with Alfred to the hospital. _Please live, I do not want to lose my parents and you in the same year_.

Andrea ran in. The two sat there until the doctor told them the news.

"Dr. Frost, Alfred will be alright. He suffered little damage but he might need glasses later in life."

* * *

Two weeks after Alfred had gotten out, they were asked to take a test. "Arthur and Katyusha don't want to start high school without their siblings." So Alfred, Matthew, Ivan and Natalya took the test. All four tested into ninth grade. Andrea was so happy that she threw a party at the skating rink. The six roller skated, or they tried, as Ivan kept falling. Matthew was helping Katyusha and Arthur was skating with his friends Francis Bonnefoy, Gilbert and Antonio Carriedo. Antonio had brought Feliciano and Lovino Vargas, and Ludwig had come also. Natalya was sitting on the sidelines by herself. Alfred skated up to Ivan after the tenth time he fell.

"Hey, either you can stick to the sides or you can let me help."

Ivan thought about that and reached a hand up. Alfred helped him to his feet and they skated off together.

* * *

**Becoming friends already. **

**A note on the parents: I never mention who they are but the mother is Kievan Rus and the father is General Winter. She had cancer since Ivan was born.**


	7. Fire and Ice

_And having perhaps the better claim_ – Robert Frost (The Road Not Taken)

* * *

They were in 11th grade now. Andrea had died in her sleep one night during ninth grade. Her husband left to live with his children, and as they didn't have any together, the house (and therefore Ivan's as well) was left to Arthur, Alfred and Matthew. The six were seated on Alfred's porch, comparing schedules.

"I have World History first period. Good, that's my last history credit." Alfred sipped his coffee.

"I have botany, da?" Ivan said.

"That's a seniors only class!"

"I got a note from the principle."

"I have Geometry," Matthew admitted.

"Chemistry," Katyusha said.

"Chemistry," Natalya echoed.

"Bloody American History," Arthur scowled.

"I have Film Appreciation second." Alfred frowned.

"Bloody hell, so do I." At those words from Arthur, Alfred laughed.

"Band," Matthew sounded dreamy.

"American history," Katyusha told them.

"Geometry," Natalya sounded really happy about that.

"American history," Ivan finished.

"Third period, American literature," Alfred said. All had that then.

"Lunch," everybody had that at the same time as Alfred also.

"Choir," a silence fell at his words.

"I kinda have it also," Matthew muttered.

"I do as well," Ivan said softly.

The other three also admitted to having it.

"Isn't choir a co-ed class?" Alfred asked.

"Da."

"Sweet. We all have a class together."

"I go to work right after that," Katyusha said.

"I have a free period," Matthew said.

"Theater Arts," Arthur smiled.

"Algebra II," Ivan sighed.

"Chemistry," Alfred said.

"American History," Natalya sighed.

"Last is Creative Writing," Alfred said.

"I have that also," Arthur said.

"Free period," Ivan said.

"American history," Matthew said.

"German II," Natalya sighed.

Alfred checked his watch. "Ivan, you have that key I gave you?"

"Da."

"Alright, let's go."

The six set off, the four boys in one direction and the two girls in another.

* * *

In history, while his teacher wasn't looking, Alfred took the chance to look at what they would be studying for the year. He had a set of two books, both were thick but the first was a whole hell of a lot thicker. _World History to 1900 _he read. He scanned the table of contents: _China, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Prussia (what the hell kind of name is Prussia?) and Russia. Shit. _He looked at the other. _World History from 1900 to present day_. It had the same countries. He was glad when the bell rang. He hurried to Film and sat by Arthur.

"What's wrong, Al?"

"I'll tell you at lunch."

They watched a Japanese film, _Spirited Away_. Alfred found himself lost in the plot. His worries were forgotten until the bell rang and he went into American Literature. Ivan was already there and smiled when his eyes met Alfred's. Alfred sat down, the matter pressing in on his mind again. He didn't see the smile fade or the worry come across Ivan's face. Both spent the class trying to focus on the teacher, a Chinese man with a ponytail, and not think about each other. When the bell rang, Alfred was the first out the door. Ivan found him huddling in a corner with Arthur and Matthew.

"I don't know what to do," Alfred was crying.

"It's your life," Matthew told him. "You can be friends with whoever you like. Don't let Mum or Dad control your life anymore."

"It's all I have left to remember them."

"You still have Tony and you love them, don't you? Trust me on this; just go with your heart."

"You're right, Mattie. Should I drop the class?"

"No, git, you have to learn history, whether you like it or not."

Ivan wasn't thinking while he ate his lunch. He ate it way too quickly and as a result was finished long before Alfred was. He sighed, cleaning up after himself and made his way to where the choir room was. His sisters were already there. He joined them; they were with Katyusha's friend Elizabeta.

"Oh, great, another European," drawled a voice from nearby. Tina Jones smirked down at them.

Katyusha looked sad, Ivan was confused, Natalya and Elizabeta were angry.

"Shut it, bitch," Elizabeta snarled.

"Ooh, someone's feisty today. Maybe we should send them all home in a box?"

"Go back to Mississippi," Alfred snapped from the doorway.

"Let's send Alfred back with them," she laughed.

Arthur, Matthew and Roderich Edelstein were behind him. "Let's not argue," Roderich said nervously.

"Shut the fuck up."

Elizabeta threw her binder at Tina.

The rest of the class passed eventfully. Natalya was a soprano one, Katyusha an alto two, Alfred a tenor one, Matthew and Arthur tenor twos and to the surprise of all Ivan was the sole bass.

* * *

That afternoon found Alfred on the floor and the rest seated on the couch or chairs.

"Who wants to try out for All-Regionals?" Matthew asked.

All said they were but for Ivan. "I do not know."

"Come on, Ivan, you have to go!"

"There are usually fifteen to twenty to try out in your section, you'll make the top ten no problem," Matthew said with a smile.

"You're going," Katyusha decided.

"What about Poetry Out Loud?" Natalya asked.

"That sounds fun," Arthur admitted.

"My poem is _Constantly Risking Absurdity (#15)_ by Lawrence Ferlinghetti." Matthew told them.

"Min e is _'Hope' is the thing with feathers _by Emily Dickinson," Katyusha sighed.

"Mine is _Fire and Ice_ by Robert Frost," Ivan said softly.

"_Richard Cory _by Edwin Arlington Robinson," Alfred said to the ceiling.

"_Crossing the Bar _by Alfred, Lord Tennyson," Arthur said.

"_The Listeners_ by Walter De La Mare," Natalya mused.

They dropped the subject and told all of their first day of 11th grade as 16, 15, 14 and 12 year olds.

* * *

**I'm a choir nerd. That was one of my favorite parts of high school, along with Literature, Theater, Film and Poetry Out Loud.**

**Poetry Out Loud is a real event nation-wide in the US. I competed at my high school for three years. For those who don't know it, all students compete school-wide, the winner goes to State and the State winner goes National. It promotes literacy and all that jazz. Mine were:**

**1. _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening _- Robert Frost (I went to the school competition with this one)**

**2. _Ode to Solitude -_ Alexander Pope**

**3. _Richard Cory _- Edwin Arlington Robinson (I was one point short of the school with this one)**

**Their poem choices:**

**Matthew's was originally _Ode to Solitude _but I came across the one I picked by mistake and fell in love with it.**

**Arthur's was originally _Dulce Et Decorum Est _by Wilfred Owen but _Crossing the Bar _seems far better for him.**

**Katyusha was originally _Because I could not stop for Death _but they didn't seem to have it.**

**Ivan's was originally _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening _by _Fire and Ice _just screams Ivan.**

**Tina Jones is Mississippi. I'm sorry if that offends anyone.**

**Alfred's difficulty learning Russian history: let over prejudice from his parents. In the end, that's where we all get them from.**

**Major Alfred/Ivan bonding coming up as well as choir time. **

**As for Ivan in Botany, it just fits as he loves sunflowers and they are plants.**


End file.
